

Funded Kindergarten Program 2025

As a parent, you naturally want to give your child the best start in life.
At Journey, we know that kindergarten is an essential building block for your child’s education. That is why we pride ourselves on delivering high quality early learning and rewarding programs for your child.
Our funded kindergarten program Kinder Plus has been created to give every child in VIC and QLD the best start to their education. Each program is delivered and taught by our bachelor-qualified early childhood teachers. Discover your funding here.


What is a funded kindergarten?
The funded kindergarten program is designed to help more children enrol in early education by providing a contribution towards the cost of the program. Created and delivered by a qualified Early Childhood Teacher, the program aims to support each child’s learning and development in line with the government’s early years learning and development framework.
What are the benefits of attending kindergarten?
Journey is the place where it all begins® for your child to make their mark in life, and Journey’s Kinder Plus Program is a key step.
We have created a learning program that empowers children, guiding them to soar from the monkey bars and glide into school with flying colours.


School Readiness
Readiness encompasses the factors that help children achieve success in school. It’s not a single moment in time but rather a unique journey that each child progresses through at their own pace.
The benefits of attending a pre-kinder and kinder room extend far beyond a child’s school years. Starting a quality program at an earlier age has a hugely positive impact on their development, helping them to develop key life skills.
Research has shown that children in Year 3 who attended kindergarten were up to 20 weeks ahead of those who did not. Equally, by the age of 16, students who attended three years of kindergarten were more likely to achieve higher scores in their Math’s and English exams.


Play-based Learning
Children learn best when their bodies and minds are stimulated, and being active allows them to do just that. Play-based learning gives each child a chance to explore the world around them through play, letting their imagination come alive. This helps them listen, learn and engage with others.
A play-based learning kindergarten can also encourage children to be more curious while boosting their confidence in the process.
Funded Kindergarten Programs by State
Kindergarten Programs differ from state to state. Click your state below to see how it works.
Victoria
3-year-old kinder program
The Victorian government is continuing the roll-out of the Three-Year-Old Kindergarten program, which will expand to 15 hours a week across the state by 2029. This initiative will provide Victorian children with two years of quality kindergarten education before they start school.
If your child is enrolled for 15 hours or more per week throughout the entire year, you will be eligible to receive up to $2050 funding, which will be applied towards your fees. However, for children enrolled for fewer than 15 hours per week, with a minimum of 5 hours, the funding will be adjusted proportionally. For instance, if your 3-year-old child is enrolled in our kindergarten program for 7.5 hours per week, they will receive half of the full 15-hour Free Kinder rate.
It is important to note that this funding is applicable for only one childcare service per child.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the 3-year-old funded kindergarten program in Victoria, a child will need to be three years of age by April 30 of the year they have enrolled in. Families with children born between January and April can choose which year they would prefer to start their child in three-year-old Kinder. These children can start in the same year they turn three, or in the year they turn four years of age. To calculate when your child will be ready for three-year-old Kinder, please click here.
4-year-old kinder program
If your child is four, the Victorian government will help support the cost of your child attending a kindergarten for 15 hours a week. If your child is enrolled for 15 hours or more per week throughout the entire year, you will be eligible to receive up to $2050 funding, which will be applied towards your fees. It gives children a chance to learn valuable skills and gain essential experience the year before they start school.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for the funding, a child will need to be four years of age by April 30 of the year they have enrolled in. For example, if a child was born between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, they would be eligible to attend kindergarten in 2025.
Queensland
4-year-old kinder
Since 2024, Queensland has introduced free kindergarten.
Kinder is free for eligible-aged children, who attend a government-approved program offering free kindy, from 1 January 2024. A free kindy program is for 15 hours per week, 40 weeks per year, taught by a qualified early childhood teacher. These hours of learning are designed to support your child’s physical, social, and intellectual skills, as well as supporting their language skills and enhancing their emotional capabilities.
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for funding, a child will need to be four years of age by June 30 of the year they have enrolled in. For example, if a child were born between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021, they would be eligible to attend kindergarten in 2025. Parents will need to provide evidence in the form of a birth certificate.
The subsidy is applicable for one approved kindergarten program at a time, and there are processes in place to avoid a child taking part in two funded programs at the same time. To work out when your child can start Kindergarten in Queensland, you can use this calculator.